Gas concentration is conventionally measured by means of measurement apparatuses based on non-dispersive IR techniques (NDIR). IR absorption multigas analyzers can further measure the absorption of a gas sample at several wavelength bands. Generally frequent calibration of gas analyzers is necessary for precise determination of the concentration of a gas or gas mixture.
EP 1482301 B1 teaches that a non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) gas analyzer is based on the absorption of infrared radiation in a gas sample. A radiation source directs a beam of infrared radiation through a measuring chamber to a radiation detector. The output signal depends on the strength of the absorption of radiation in the gas sample. The optical wavelength band used for the measurement is selected non-dispersively with an optical bandpass filter. The radiation source typically consists of an electrically heated filament and radiation collecting optics. The gas mixture to be analyzed is fed through the measurement chamber, whereupon the gas mixture is contained in the chamber for analysis. The measuring chamber can be a tubular space provided with entrance and exit windows that are transparent at the measurement wavelength and with inlet and outlet for the sample gas. Radiation is absorbed by the gas sample when passing through the measuring chamber.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,646,729 discloses a single-channel gas concentration measurement method and apparatus. According to the method, a radiant source is employed to generate a measuring signal, the measuring signal is subsequently directed to a measurement object containing a gas mixture to be measured, the measuring signal is subsequently bandpass filtered using at least two passband wavelengths, and the filtered measuring signals are detected by a detector. According to the invention, the bandpass filtering step is implemented by a single electrostatically tunable, short-resonator Fabry-Perot interferometer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,500,207 further describes an apparatus for non-dispersive optical determination of the concentration of an identifiable gas, such as a hydrocarbon, in a mixture such as atmospheric air comprises a sample chamber to contain a sample of the mixture, a source of IR radiation at a wavelength absorbed by the gas beamed through the sample chamber to a detector and transducer means to change the gas pressure within the chamber to determine the change in radiation intensity detected at different pressures.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,077,469 describes a compensation and calibration method for a non-dispersive infrared gas analyzer which includes an infrared source of radiation, a measuring path, a reference path, modulation devices, a detector for differential pressure measuring, comprising the steps of: First and prior to measurement, having a variable basic concentration in the measuring component is forced through the reference branch and through the measuring branch and the detector is set to a zero position. A dual calibration chamber is placed into the two reference paths while both of them are still passed through by the reference gas, one of the calibration chambers including a particular concentration in the measuring gas, the other one lacking that measuring gas. The sensitivity and amplification of the detector that obtains as a result of changes in the radiation on account of placing the calibration chamber into the reference and measuring path is adjusted, whereupon the calibration chamber is removed, reference gas still is passed through the reference chamber, while measuring gas now flows through the measuring chamber.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,850,354 discloses a method and apparatus for calibrating an NDIR gas analyzer. The apparatus under calibration is calibrated with the help of a reference apparatus under controlled conditions. The reference apparatus is a laboratory-calibrated NDIR measurement apparatus in an arrangement based on circulating ambient air via both a measurement chamber of the measurement apparatus under calibration and measurement chamber of the laboratory-calibrated measurement apparatus. Adjusting the reading of a display, or alternatively, an output signal of the measurement apparatus under calibration to be equal to the reading of the display, or the output signal, respectively, of the reference apparatus is performed by a control device of the measurement apparatus.
EP 0600711 A2 teaches that a method for field calibrating a system adapted for spectrographic analysis of gaseous substances uses an easily available gas, for example ambient air, thereby providing for field calibration of the system without the inconvenience of using a purified noble gas and a premeasured calibration gas mixture. During calibration, spectrograms from the easily available gas are generated by the system at various number density levels of the gas. Information from the spectrograms is the used in setting an operating parameter of the system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,369,278 discloses a calibration method for gas concentration measurement with an NDIR technique based on optical absorption. Radiation is imposed onto the gas mixture under measurement contained in a measurement channel isolated at least partially from its environment, the intensity of radiation transmitted through the gas is measured, the gas concentration is computed from the measured intensity, in order to calibrate the measurement apparatus the gas state variables are deviated in a controlled manner, whereby the level of transmitted radiation intensity is changed, and the intensity of the transmitted radiation is measured in at least two known points of the gas state variables, thus obtaining data for calibration of the measurement apparatus employed. The gas state variables are deviated by heating the gas under measurement in such a short time during which the ambient concentration of the gas undergoes no change, whereby the gas density is decreased with the increasing temperature, while the partial pressure of the gas under measurement stays essentially constant.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,409,814 teaches that there are typically three types of gas extracting devices for extracting gas suspended in the insulating oil, i.e. a Toricelli's vacuum type, a combination of a mercury diffusion pump and Toepler pump type, and a combination of a vacuum pump and a moving valve type of gas extracting device. In the third type, i.e., the vacuum pump and moving valve type of gas extracting device, the interior of a vessel, i.e. a cylinder, is first maintained in a vacuum state by the vacuum pump. After completely extracting the gas into the cylinder, the gas is guided into a gas accumulating tube by operation of the moving valve. The moving valve, i.e., the piston coupled with the cylinder, can only be moved once by switching over the valves associated with and mounted on both sides of the cylinders.
DE 10252652 A1 discloses a device for de-gasification of fluid samples. The suction side of a mercury-free vacuum pump is connected to a de-gasification vessel for the dosed sample. Its pressure side is connected to an expansion vessel for gas collection. The expansion vessel is subsequently connected through one or more valves to the vacuum side of the pump, to extract gas from it. The expansion vessel has a variable volume and a gas extraction facility. A gas sample dosing valve is connected to the expansion system, for a gas analysis unit. Volume increase in the expansion vessel is registered by a bellows, or by a piston-operated gas burette. A pressure sensor registers the vacuum. A valve allows the gas quantity released to be measured with the pressure sensor.
JP 2004-037135 A describes an apparatus and a method for monitoring a dissolved gas in oil. A non bellows type gas extracting chamber is air tightly connected to the inside of the oil equipment via a first pipeline having an oil conveying pump and a second pipeline. An extracted gas accommodation chamber is provided while being separated from the gas extracting chamber, and both the chambers are air tightly connected via an on/off valve. In a gas extraction process, the gas extracting chamber that is filled with oil to be tested is allowed to communicate with the extracted-gas accommodation chamber that is kept vacuum by opening the on/off valve, the on/off valve is closed for cutting off both the chambers after gas is extracted and the oil to be tested is sent back into the oil equipment without coming into contact with the air. The extracted gas inside the extracted gas accommodation chamber is mixed with the air and is analyzed by a gas analyzer.